Written Answers Wednesday 7 March 2007

Scottish Executive

Community Safety

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve street safety throughout Stirlingshire.

Johann Lamont: The Executive awarded £84,255 to Stirling Community Safety Partnership to allow it to identify and address local community safety priorities including street safety. Stirling also benefited from funding of £109,571 for the Safe City Centres initiatives funded by the Executive from April 2003 to March 2006.

Council Tax

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many recipients of council tax benefit aged 60 or over there were in the Stirling local authority area in each of the last three years for which the information is available, also showing what percentage of the over-60 age group they represented.

Mr Tom McCabe: The data relating to recipients of council tax benefit are presented in terms of benefit units, which are based on households in receipt of council tax benefit and as a result may contain two or more persons (possibly one of whom may also be aged under 60). These data are reported in the following table.

  Number of Benefit Units Containing One or More Persons Aged Over 60 Receiving Council Tax Benefit**

  

 Local Authority
 2004
 2005
 2006


 Stirling
 3,420
 3,490
 3,570



  Note: **The data have been provided by the Department of Work and Pensions and relate to benefit units, not counts of persons. Figures include benefit units where there is a single person aged over 60, and benefit units containing two or more persons where at least one is aged over 60. Council tax benefit figures exclude any second adult rebate cases. The source is the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System quarterly caseload.

  It is not appropriate to divide council tax benefit units by population figures for the over 60-age group, as these are on a different basis.

Early Years

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Stirling Council received under the Sure Start Scotland programme in the last year for which information is available.

Robert Brown: Resources for the Sure Start Scotland programme are distributed through grant aided expenditure (GAE). The GAE is not funding but simply a means of distributing the funding within the core local government finance settlement. The GAE allocation for Stirling Council in 2006-07 for the Sure Start Scotland programme was £873,000.

Eating Disorders

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) beds, (b) day care places and (c) residential facilities there are for individuals suffering from chronic eating disorders, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on the allocation of health care facilities for the treatment of specific conditions is not held centrally.

Employment

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what economic inactivity levels were for 18 to 24-year-olds who were not in full-time education in each quarter since 1990.

Nicol Stephen: Estimates of economic inactivity are taken from the Labour Force Survey. The following table shows the levels of people aged 18-24 who were economically inactive and not in full-time education for every quarter from 1994 to the latest available data in 2006.

  Data on people aged 18 to 24 who were economically inactive and not in full-time education is not available prior to 1994.

  The estimates are based on a sample survey, and as such, are subject to some sampling error. Any changes in the estimates over time may not be statistically significant when sampling error is taken into account.

  Table 1 – Economically Inactive Levels of People Aged 18 to 24, Scotland, 1994-2006.

  

 Quarter
 Economically Inactive Level
 Quarter
 Economically Inactive Level


 Spring 1994
 42,000 
 Summer 2000
 41,000 


 Summer 1994
 47,000 
 Autumn 2000
 34,000 


 Autumn 1994
 46,000 
 Winter 2000
 38,000 


 Winter 1995
 42,000 
 Spring 2001
 33,000 


 Spring 1995
 39,000 
 Summer 2001
 39,000 


 Summer 1995
 43,000 
 Autumn 2001
 37,000 


 Autumn 1995
 43,000 
 Winter 2001
 36,000 


 Winter 1995
 37,000 
 Spring 2002
 32,000 


 Spring 1996
 38,000 
 Summer 2002
 32,000 


 Summer 1996
 41,000 
 Autumn 2002
 34,000 


 Autumn 1996
 39,000 
 Winter 2002
 35,000 


 Winter 1996
 35,000 
 Spring 2003
 38,000 


 Spring 1997
 35,000 
 Summer 2003
 38,000 


 Summer 1997
 39,000 
 Autumn 2003
 37,000 


 Autumn 1997
 39,000 
 Winter 2003
 34,000 


 Winter 1997
 35,000 
 Spring 2004
 38,000 


 Spring 1998
 38,000 
 Summer 2004
 46,000 


 Summer 1998
 36,000 
 Autumn 2004
 36,000 


 Autumn 1998
 30,000 
 Winter 2004
 40,000 


 Winter 1998
 28,000 
 Spring 2005
 41,000 


 Spring 1999
 34,000 
 Summer 2005
 41,000 


 Summer 1999
 41,000 
 Autumn 2005
 37,000 


 Autumn 1999
 55,000 
 Winter 2005
 36,000 


 Winter 1999
 45,000 
 Spring 2006
 35,000 


 Spring 2000
 40,000 
 
 



  Source: Labour Force Survey.

  Note: 1. Data rounded to the nearest thousand.

Enterprise

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many start-up businesses were assisted by Business Gateway in each local authority area in 2006.

Nicol Stephen: The last available figures for the year to 31 March 2006 are as follows:

  Start-Up Businesses Assisted – 2005-06

  

 Local Authority Area
 


 Aberdeen City 
 364


 Aberdeenshire
 573


 Angus
 198


 Argyll and Bute
 93


 Clackmannanshire
 102


 Dumfries and Galloway
 294


 Dundee City 
 230


 East Ayrshire 
 202



  Start-Up Businesses Assisted – 2005-06

  

 Local Authority Area
 


 East Dunbartonshire 
 202


 East Lothian 
 189


 East Renfrewshire 
 145


 Edinburgh, City of
 1,029


 Falkirk 
 259


 Fife 
 760


 Glasgow City 
 929


 Highland 
 1


 Inverclyde
 188


 Midlothian 
 206


 North Ayrshire
 238


 North Lanarkshire 
 565


 Perth and Kinross
 244


 Renfrewshire
 311


 Scottish Borders
 241


 South Ayrshire
 220


 South Lanarkshire 
 504


 Stirling 
 154


 West Dunbartonshire 
 199


 West Lothian 
 282

Environment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the legal basis is for the sale of the greenhouse gas absorption capability of tree biomass and soil on land owned by local authorities.

Ross Finnie: The legal basis for the sale of the greenhouse gas absorption capability of tree biomass and soil on land owned by local authorities will be dependent on the individual circumstances of the project and the nature of the agreement between the parties involved.

Environment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the number of carbon sequestration rights that have been granted from 1999 to 2007 and the operations of the companies to whom such rights have been granted.

Ross Finnie: The information requested is not held centrally.

Environment

Paul Martin (Glasgow Springburn) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on finalising its Scottish Historic Environment Policy 1 (SHEP) document following the recent consultation.

Patricia Ferguson: I am pleased to announce the launch tomorrow of the final version of Scottish Historical Environmental Policy 1 – Scotland’s Historic Environment - (SHEP 1) following public consultation. The series sets out what we believe are ambitious and robust policies to protect Scotland’s rich historic environment. I am pleased by the backing the stakeholders have given me. The document is available online at: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/sheps .

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times NHS Quality Improvement Scotland has decided not to adopt National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance in each year since 2003.

Mr Andy Kerr: There has been one occasion since 2003 when NHS Quality Improvement Scotland decided not to adopt NICE guidance and this was NICE Technology Appraisal No. 48 entitled The Use of Liquid-based Cytology for Cervical Screening (Review) published in October 2003. This was because a policy decision on liquid-based cytology had already been taken by the Scottish Executive.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the contextual differences cited by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland on the occasions when it has not adopted National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance.

Mr Andy Kerr: There have been two occasions when NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) has not directly adopted National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal recommendations. This was because the Scottish Executive had already stated its policy position on the issues under consideration which were:

  (a) NICE Technology Appraisal No. 32 entitled Beta interferons and glatiramer acetate for the treatment of multiple sclerosis published by NICE in February 2002. The Scottish Executive had already taken a policy decision to take part in a UK-wide Risk Sharing Scheme for beta interferons and glatiramer acetate.

  (b) NICE Technology Appraisal No. 48 entitled The Use of Liquid-based Cytology for Cervical Screening (Review) published in October 2003. This was because a policy decision on liquid-based cytology had already been taken by the Scottish Executive.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) fully evaluates the suitability of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance for implementation in Scotland based on the criteria in respect of contextual differences outlined by NHS QIS in July 2003.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is satisfied that NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) fully evaluates the suitability of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance for implementation in Scotland based on the criteria in respect of contextual differences outlined by NHS QIS in July 2003.

  The NHS QIS process applies to all NICE Multiple Technology Appraisals (MTAs). In 2006 NICE introduced its Single Technology Appraisals (STAs). The NHS QIS process currently excludes NICE STAs because the Scottish Medicines Consortium already performs an equivalent function.

Health

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in relation to locating one-stop health clinics in the NHS Forth Valley area.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is for the NHS board to ensure that the health services provided meet local needs and to plan how such services are provided.

  NHS Forth Valley continues to make good progress in the development of one stop clinics as part of their focus to redesign services and improve access for patients. Recent examples include the development of a urology one-stop clinic and development of the colorectal clinic. Work has now started on the development of a head and neck one-stop clinic.

Heritage

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to establishing a blue plaque scheme similar to that operated by English Heritage.

Patricia Ferguson: Historic Scotland is directly responsible to Scottish ministers for safeguarding the nation’s historic environment and promoting its understanding and enjoyment. Information plaques are currently the subject of Petition PE1012. Historic Scotland has been asked to comment on this petition by 26 March 2007 and is considering its response. My officials in Historic Scotland will send a copy of its views on the petition to Dr Jackson.

Heritage

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on sites of local, regional, national or international importance (a) in Stirlingshire and (b) throughout Scotland.

Patricia Ferguson: Important sites across Scotland are run by a variety of public, private, and charitable organisations and help to make this country a great place to visit. Attractions such as Stirling Castle, which are run by Historic Scotland, attract many visitors, and lead them to a greater understanding of our rich heritage.

  Historic Scotland holds information on sites in four categories of statutory and non-statutory designations for historic monuments, buildings and sites which fall within these designations. These are as follows:

  Listed buildings: there are almost 47,000 listed buildings of special architectural or historic interest given legal protection under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997. Eight percent of these are recognised for their national or international importance, 51% for their regional interest, and 41% for their local interest.

  Scheduled monuments: there are just under 8,000 scheduled sites in Scotland designated as ancient monuments of national importance and given legal protection under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

  Designated Wreck Sites are nationally important wrecks; their locations are designated as protected areas under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 and the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. There are eight wrecks designated under Protection of Wrecks Act and seven scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act.

  Non-Statutory Designation – 342 Gardens and Designed Landscapes of national importance are identified in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland sponsored by Historic Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage.

Higher Education

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and students and staff of the University of Glasgow’s Crichton Campus in Dumfries concerning the university’s decision to withdraw from the campus and when these meetings took place.

Nicol Stephen: On 22 February, the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and I met with a delegation from Dumfries and Galloway Council and representatives of the Crichton Campus to identify a way forward that will secure provision at the campus. The Deputy Minister also met with the Principal of the University of Glasgow on 23 February. There has not been a meeting with student representatives.

Higher Education

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and students and staff of the University of Dundee concerning the university’s proposals to cut courses and jobs and when these meetings took place.

Nicol Stephen: Ministers have not held meetings with students, staff or management of the University of Dundee on this issue and no such meetings have been requested.

  We are of course aware of the financial pressures being faced by the University of Dundee. The university has communicated its position to the Executive and the Scottish Funding Council and has not sought extra funding in response to its current financial situation.

  The university will now be consulting on this issue with the unions and other stakeholders. Given that financial management is rightly the responsibility of the university’s management, this is the correct approach.

  The funding council and in particular its audit committee closely monitor the financial health of our universities and advise ministers of any specific difficulties. The Funding Council’s Chief Executive has been in regular contact with the Principal of the University of Dundee on this matter.

  The funding council have not approached ministers on the situation at Dundee or indeed at any other institution.

Higher Education

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and students and staff of the University of Strathclyde concerning the university’s proposals to cut jobs and when these meetings took place.

Nicol Stephen: Ministers have not held meetings with students, staff or management of the University of Strathclyde on this issue and no such meetings have been requested.

  We are of course aware of the financial pressures being faced by the University of Strathclyde. The university has communicated its position to the Executive and the Scottish Funding Council and has not sought extra funding in response to its current financial situation.

  I understand that the university has given the assurance that savings against staff budgets will no be made by imposing voluntary redundancies, and that the university will consult on this issue with the unions and other stakeholders. Given that financial management is rightly the responsibility of the university’s management, this is the correct approach.

  The funding council and in particular its audit committee closely monitor the financial health of our universities and advise ministers of any specific difficulties. The Funding Council’s Chief Executive has been in regular contact with the Principal of the University of Strathclyde on this matter.

  The funding council have not approached ministers to intervene in the situation at Strathclyde or indeed at any other institution.

Local Government

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why local authorities are not required to produce official reports detailing what was said in meetings of their committees rather than a summary of what took place and whether the Executive has any plans to require this type of reporting for the purposes of transparent local government and accountability.

George Lyon: Local authorities are not required to produce official reports because no such provision has been made in legislation. The Executive has no plans to require local authorities to produce official reports but, as independent corporate bodies, local authorities may produce official reports if they wish to do so.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many sisters/charge nurses have registered for the Cleanliness Champions training in infection control programme; how many have completed the programme, and what proportion of the sister/charge nurse workforce this represents.

Mr Andy Kerr: The latest registration figures, published by NHS Education Scotland on 26 February 2007, show that of the 2,817 G grade nursing staff who had registered for training as Cleanliness Champions, 1,196 have completed the programme.

  These figures, however, do not provide the breakdown by speciality necessary to indicate what proportion of the sister/charge nurse workforce this represents.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what job evaluations have been carried out in the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) over the last five years and, in each case, by how much the employment costs of the SPS varied as a result.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  One hundred and twenty-seven. The SPS does not hold information on the rest of the question.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the purpose is of the Scottish Prison Service’s surplus staff list.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The work of the surplus management group is to ensure that where staff surpluses arise the SPS maximise the best value for money by moving staff quickly, efficiently and effectively and to treat those who are required to move consistently and fairly.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the employment policies of the Scottish Prison Service ensure that vacancies are advertised and interviews are conducted accordingly.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Vacancies which arise are filled in a variety of ways, depending on the particular role or circumstances. In some cases, vacancies will be advertised and interviews conducted, whereas in other cases, the vacancy may be filled by other methods.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Prison Service staff are on Pay Protection - Mark Time as a result of job evaluation.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Twelve.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which community projects have received funding from the £10 million confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Johann Lamont: Funds recovered through Proceeds of Crime legislation have been reinvested within the six local authorities in Scotland which suffer most serious violent crime; Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire. Community projects supported are detailed in the following table. In addition to these, each local authority ran a localised Drug Dealers Don’t Care, Do You? Campaign and a twilight basketball project within the community.

  

 Local Authority
 Projects


 Glasgow City
1. G-Pod – Mobile Youth Unit 
2. Govan and Barlanark after schools projects
3. Youth outreach work


 City of Edinburgh
1. Two vehicles –CCTV and Graffiti clean up
2. Leisure facilities – Youth outreach work
3. Sport programme Muirhouse
3. Sport programme Holyrood
4. Street workers
5. Open all hours – Leisure facilities


 West Dunbartonshire
1. Sports Leadership Courses.
2. Creative Apprentices.
3. Dance Leadership Courses
4. Pulse summer school
5. Environmental Hit Squad


 Renfrewshire
1. Teen Action Zone
2. Holiday and evening multi activity programme
3. Reclaim our Community
4. Peer Education – DVD exploring issues surrounding ASB.
5. 4 vehicles for Community Wardens: two graffiti clean up, mobile CCTV and Community Transport.


 Inverclyde
1. Lease 4 vehicles (2x Community clean up, 1x internet van, 1x minibus and driver to transport young people.)
2. Two Youth Workers
3. Primary schools programme
4. Cookery bookery
5. Story book time6. Transitional workshops


 North Ayrshire
1. Fullarton detached street work project
2. BUDZ – project for young people to landscape ground in the local community.
3. Equipped to learn – Equipment for computer suite
4. Fullarton youth challenge collaboration
5. Saturday sport and health club
6. Active haycocks
7. Junior youth clubs
8. Street Beat – Project to develop dance activity
9. Eyes, Minds and Hearts – Storytelling project
10. Junior chess clubs

Scottish Executive Finance

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31693 by Tavish Scott on 19 February 2007, whether the six per cent discount referred to in the answer was itself an index-linked figure.

Tavish Scott: No. Guidance on use of discount rates is set out in HM Treasury's Guidance on Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government , known as The Green Book . At the time the Skye Bridge was being planned, The Green Book recommended the use of a discount rate of 6%.

Scottish Executive Funding

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received about the funding settlement for Orkney Islands Council since 2003 and from whom such representations have been received.

George Lyon: Orkney Islands Council and local MSP, Mr Jim Wallace QC, have made a number of representations to the Executive on matters connected with the local government funding settlement. Representations may also have been received from others from time to time. A full list of all such representations, and by whom they were made, is not maintained centrally.

  Mr Wallace and, from the Council, Councillor Stephen Hagan, Councillor Keith Johnson and Mr Harry Garland, the Director of Community Social Services, have made several recent representations about specific aspects of the settlement, in particular care services for the elderly.

  There have also been two recent meetings with representatives from the council and Mr Wallace to discuss a range of issues, including: elements of the settlement and the delivery of services for the elderly. The first of these meetings took place on 20 December 2006 with the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care and then there was a subsequent meeting with the Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Service Reform and Parliamentary Business on the 2 February 2007.

Scottish Executive Funding

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has provided to faith institutions including, but not exclusively, the Church of Scotland, Catholic Church and Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, in each of the last four years, broken down by institution.

Rhona Brankin: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The only way in which the information sought could be established would be to trawl all of the divisions identified on the social inclusion and voluntary issues database and ask them to identify for each of the last four years which of their entries are specifically in respect of religious or faith groups. However, this database contains only general information and it is not possible to extract specific details of grants paid to faith and religious groups. This would take considerable time and effort and result in work that would cost well in excess of the disproportionate cost threshold of £600.

  In collaboration with analytical services division, social inclusion and voluntary issues division is working on how to improve its database information collection procedures, with a view to better identification and recording of specific grant recipients and the purpose to which public funds are being put. Unfortunately, it will be some time before data collection and recording arrangements are able to isolate information of the type sought.

Scottish Executive Funding

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the "Safe-Inverness" project when its funding runs out in August 2007 and, if so, by what means, whether this will include financial support for the project and whether any similar project, or project with similar aims, in any other city receives Executive support.

Johann Lamont: Safe City Centres initiatives in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Perth and Inverness were funded by the Executive from April 2003 to March 2006. Safe-Inverness and some other schemes had funding extended until 2007. An evaluation of Safer City Centres is being carried out and we will await its findings before considering the future of this initiative.

Scottish Executive Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33049 by Mr Andy Kerr on 21 January 2003, what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in its Legal and Parliamentary Services department on projects and tasks.

Mr Tom McCabe: Scottish Executive core departments all operate within the same pay system. The average gross hourly rates for the pay bands of staff working in the Scottish Executive’s core departments for financial year 2006-07 are given in the following table:

  

 Pay Band
 Hourly Rated Based on Gross Average Pay*


 A2**
£10.34


 A3
£12.19


 A4
£13.52


 B1
£16.79


 B2
£20.62


 B3
£26.97


 C1
£36.65


 C2
£43.55


 C3
£47.36


 Fast Stream
£20.76


 Senior Civil Service 1
£59.49


 Senior Civil Service 1A
£72.73


 Senior Civil Service 2
£84.87


 Senior Civil Service 3
£108.69



  Notes:

  * Gross average pay includes basic salary, employers’ superannuation contributions and national insurance payments.

  ** Bands A1 and A2 were merged with effect from 1 August 2006.

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive from where it procures plasma products.

Mr Andy Kerr: Plasma from Scotland’s blood donors has not been used to produce plasma products since 1998, due to the risk posed by variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (vCJD).

  Plasma products are purchased by NHS National Services Scotland from a range of suppliers in Europe and the US, who hold appropriate UK regulatory approvals for their plasma sources, manufacturing facilities and products, on a competitive tendering basis. These include:

  Baxter Health Care; CSL Behring; Octapharma; Grifols; Biotest and Bio-Products Laboratory.

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the length of contract is with Bio Products Laboratory to supply plasma products to NHS Scotland and on which date the contract commenced.

Mr Andy Kerr: The contract with Bio-Products Laboratory commenced in June 2006 and extends to April 2008.

  Between January and June 2006, plasma products were sourced from various contractors whilst a formal procurement process was put in place and the contract awarded.

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost is of the contract with Bio Products Laboratory to supply products to NHS Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: The annual cost of the contract with Bio-Products Laboratory is £3.3 million.

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority first gave approval for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service’s Protein Fractionation Centre to restart operations after the voluntary suspension in January 2006.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency granted approval to restart production of plasma products for clinical use on 14 September 2006. A follow-up inspection took place in February 2007.

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which products have been produced by the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service’s Protein Fractionation Centre since it restarted production.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Protein Fractionation Centre has produced only one product for clinical use, a batch of anti-botulinum toxin, which will be issued to the Ministry of Defence during March 2007. This will have full approval of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any products have been destroyed since production restarted at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service’s Protein Fractionation Centre and, if so, what these products were, what quantity was involved and what the reasons were for their destruction.

Mr Andy Kerr: Material used to test part of the Protein Fractionation Centre (PFC) production processes as well as out-of-date products, returns and quality samples have been disposed of.

  Some part processed products which were not fit for further processing were discarded in September 2006.

  The disposal of starting materials, intermediate products and finished products from the PFC is carried out in compliance with the quality assurance procedures that are in place.

  The following table shows products discarded at the PFC since 1 September 2006:

  

Product
Quantity
Reason For Discard


Human Albumin
5,168g
1,070g
Expired
Reject


Human Immunoglobulin for intravenous infusion
 945g
2672g
Expired
Reject


Human Immunoglobulin for intramuscular infusion
239 vials 
277 vials
Expired
Reject


Coagulation Factors
43 kits
21 vials
Expired
Reject

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value is of any products still held by the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service’s Protein Fractionation Centre.

Mr Andy Kerr: The value of clinical plasma products remaining in store is approximately £2.3 million.

  The value of consumables (bottles/packaging) remaining in store is approximately £900,000.

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are for any products still held by Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service’s Protein Fractionation Centre.

Mr Andy Kerr: Following the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) inspection in January 2006, a decision was taken by the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service not to issue products from the Protein Fractionation Centre (PFC) to NHS Scotland except in the case of clinical need. The products still held at the PFC are unlikely to be used as they were produced before this date.

  However, some in-date products will be retained as contingency stocks, but will only be issued with the approval of the MHRA. These are mainly specific specialist hyper-immune plasma products.

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Scotland is experiencing any shortage of plasma products.

Mr Andy Kerr: There is no shortage of plasma products within NHS Scotland. NHS National Services Scotland has put contracts in place with other manufacturers for the long term supply of products previously manufactured by the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service at the Protein Fractionation Centre.

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service Protein Fractionation Centre products were used by the NHS during the recent period of voluntary suspension and, if so, by whom and for what purpose.

Mr Andy Kerr: While production at the Protein Fractionation Centre (PFC) was voluntarily suspended, products remained licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and a range of PFC products were issued under MHRA approval. These products were for the treatment of patients with clotting disorders, burns, and those who required antibody replacement and prophylaxis for a range of conditions.

Scottish Water

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the level of expenditure by Scottish Water on infrastructure and, in particular, on maintenance or renewals in the Stirling local authority area and what major projects have been completed in that area since 1999.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not hold information on expenditure by Scottish Water by local authority area. I have referred your question to the Chief Executive of Scottish Water who will respond to you in due course.

Sectarianism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in setting up the anti-sectarianism body, Football for All.

Patricia Ferguson: The Football for All charity is in the process of being established.

Sectarianism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will provide for (a) start-up costs, (b) running costs and (c) an awareness campaign in respect of the anti-sectarianism body, Football for All.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive has agreed to provide up to £65,000 in start up costs to Football for All during 2006-07, subject to the agreement of the grant offer by Football for All.

  My officials are discussing with Football for All funding that might be provided by the Executive for running costs and an anti-sectarianism in football awareness campaign.

Sectarianism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects Football for All to commence its first programme of action.

Patricia Ferguson: I understand that Football for All is planning a number of events from April 2007.

Sectarianism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in undertaking the nationwide anti-sectarianism awareness raising campaign announced in December 2006.

Patricia Ferguson: We expect that a focused anti-sectarian campaign around football will take place early in the 2007-08 football season.

Sectarianism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it plans to make available for the nationwide anti-sectarianism awareness raising campaign announced in December 2006.

Patricia Ferguson: My officials are discussing with Football for All funding that might be provided by the Executive for providing an anti-sectarianism in football awareness campaign.

Tourism

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many workers are employed in tourism and tourism-related industries in each local authority area.

Patricia Ferguson: The latest data held currently estimates that there are just under 210,000 people employed in tourism related businesses across Scotland, which represents 9% of the total workforce. The number of people that are employed in tourism, and tourism-related industries in each local authority area across Scotland is shown in the following table:

  

 Local Authority
 Tourism-Related Employment
Tourism-Related Employment 
Compared to all Employment(%)


 Aberdeen City
 11,692
 7


 Aberdeenshire
 6,964
 9


 Angus
 3,582
 10


 Argyll and Bute
 5,050
 14


 Clackmannanshire
 969
 7


 Comhairle nan Eilean Sar
 942
 9


 Dumfries and Galloway
 5,808
 11


 Dundee City
 5,982
 8


 East Ayrshire
 3,087
 8


 East Dunbartonshire
 2,379
 10


 East Lothian
 2,783
 12


 East Renfrewshire
 1,983
 11


 Edinburgh City
 30,826
 10


 Falkirk
 4,500
 8


 Fife
 11,186
 8


 Glasgow City
 30,336
 7


 Highland
 13,107
 14


 Inverclyde
 2,220
 7


 Midlothian
 1,904
 7


 Moray
 3,068
 9


 North Ayrshire
 4,410
 11


 North Lanarkshire
 7,526
 6


 Orkney Islands
 1,091
 12


 Perth and Kinross
 8,231
 14


 Renfrewshire
 5,971
 8


 Scottish Borders
 4,709
 11


 Shetland Islands
 1,351
 10


 South Ayrshire
 5,579
 12


 South Lanarkshire
 9,897
 8


 Stirling
 4,902
 11


 West Dunbartonshire
 3,290
 11


 West Lothian
 4,334
 6



  Source: Annual business inquiry employee analysis.

Tourism

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the top 50 tourist attractions are by number of annual visitors.

Patricia Ferguson: The latest available figures are for 2005. In 2005, the top 50 tourist attractions by number of annual visitors were as follows:

  

 Visitor Attraction
 Visitor Numbers


 Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
 1,187,342


 Royal Museum and Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
 828,367


 National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
 810,054


 World Famous Old Blacksmith’s Shop Centre, Gretna Green
 679,132


 Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh
 619,946


 Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh
 614,321


 National War Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
 567,744


 Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow
 530,751


 Edinburgh Bus Tours, Edinburgh
 458,963


 Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow
 422,848


 Museum of Transport, Glasgow
 376,115


 Stirling Castle, Stirling
 373,766


 New Lanark Village and Visitor Centre, Lanark
 362,850


 Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Glasgow
 350,000


 People’s Palace, Glasgow
 342,904


 David Welch Winter Gardens, Aberdeen
 319,905


 Falkirk Wheel, Falkirk
 298,562


 Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee
 279,717


 Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
 273,279


 Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh
 265,659


 Burns National Heritage Park, Ayr
 264,247


 Deep Sea World, North Queensferry
 260,000


 Dean Castle and Country Park, Kilmarnock
 257,857


 Eilean Donan Castle and Visitor Centre, by Kyle of Lochalsh
 257,240


 Urquhart Castle, Drumnadrochit
 237,910


 Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, Edinburgh
 235,714


 Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow
 235,237


 The Burrell Collection, Glasgow
 228,007


 Scottish Wool Centre, Aberfoyle
 225,009


 Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh
 222,584


 Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh
 201,098


 Boardwalk, Aberdeen
 200,000


 Culzean Castle and Country Park, Maybole
 195,433


 Baxters Highland Village, Fochabers
 195,190


 The Lighthouse, Glasgow
 184,565


 Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen
 183,776


 Teviot Watergardens, Kelso
 179,053


 Johnston’s Cashmere Visitor Centre, Elgin
 164,570


 Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh
 162,781


 Cairngorm Mountain Railway, near Aviemore
 162,702


 Dean Gallery, Edinburgh
 159,348


 David Marshall Lodge, near Aberfoyle
 156,198


 Nevis Range, Fort William
 155,301


 Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh
 153,977


 Museum of Flight, nr Haddington
 150,908


 Queens’ View Visitor Centre, Dunkeld
 147,948


 Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick
 142,823


 James Pringle Weavers of Inverness, Inverness
 141,250


 Isle of Bute Discovery Centre, Rothesay
 136,325


 Blair Castle, nr Pitlochry
 135,330



  Source: Scottish Visitor Attraction Monitor 2005.

  Two visitor attraction operators provided figures for inclusion in the general analysis but indicated they did not want their figures published.

Waste Management

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to Stirling Council from the Strategic Waste Fund in each year since 1999.

Ross Finnie: The following table details the amount of funding allocated to Stirling Council from the Strategic Waste Fund each year since 1999. Funding from 2008-09 onwards is indicative and depends on the outcome of future Spending Reviews.

  

 
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02


Award (£)
0
59,000
0


 
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


Award (£)
285,000
2,916,670
1,559,965


 
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08


Award (£)
1,680,224
2,354,000
1,696,000


 
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11


Award (£)
1,585,000
1,822,000
1,810,000


 
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14


Aware (£)
1,796,000
1,783,000
1,769,000


 
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17


Award (£)
1,753,000
1,738,000
1,724,000


 
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20


Award (£)
1,709,000
1,693,000
1,678,000